Do you see harsh shadows? And she is sitting few inches from the wall.

This is why.

That's about reflected light, not light bending around an object - as that doesn't happen, with the exception of gravitational lensing around massive objects - Amanda Tapping certainly not qualifying as one!!

Reflected from what? The only reason I use this thing is because there is nothing to reflect the light from. Over 20 foot ceilings, and 40 foot to the back wall.

Maybe Amanda does not qualify as massive but she sure qualified as pretty.

Here is one in the same room (different event) but I was forced to use straight flash or be killed.

Now if you say that is because of the angle then take a look at the last one from different event.

Big difference!!!! Yes, light wraps around the subject.

Stop - you're embarrassing yourself with your lack of knowledge of basic physics - light does not wrap or bend in these scenarios. Your diffuser is just creating a much larger, and softer light source than a direct flash (which is more akin to a strong, point light source). By your twisted view of the laws of physics, why doesn't the light from the direct flash wrap/bend around the subject and eliminate the shadows??